Jill Zarin Says Husband Continues to 'Astound' During Cancer Battle

11/30/2017 11:55 pm EST

Real Housewives of New Jersery alum Jill Zarin says her husband Bobby Zarin continues to "astound" his doctors during his fight with what started as thyroid cancer.

The Bravo personality celebrated her 54th birthday Thursday with a birthday lunch. There, her friends surprised her with a beautiful two-tier white cake covered in flowers reading "Happy Birthday Jill."

In the caption of a photo of the sweet treat she posted to Instagram, she opened up about Bobby's cancer treatment.

After thanking her daughter for kind words on her birthday, Jill said that she is "most grateful to God who continues to give Bobby and me more time together."

"When Bobby always said to me 'cherish the moment' I never knew the power of that message until now," Jill wrote. "We continue the fight against Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer everyday and to astound his doctors with the strength and determination to defy all odds. Thank you to everyone for the texts, posts and messages. I read them all and they give me the strength to continue to fight everyday."

Bobby, 70, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in June 2009, undergoing radioactive iodine treatments and having his thyroid removed. In 2013, the cancer spread to his lungs and Jill revealed to PEOPLE last fall that Bobby had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

To try and remove the brain tumor, Bobby underwent Gamma Knife Radiosurgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

In July, Jill said that that her husband was recovering at New York City's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer following a procedure taking an "unexpected turn." At the time, she said Bobby "is not going down without a fight."

Bobby was released from the hospital, which Jill called "nothing short of miraculous."

"My heart is filled with such emotion everyday it's hard to express," she wrote on Instagram in August. "From the initial shock to the new 'normal' it's been the most emotional time in our lives and couldn't have gotten to where we are without help from many. I wake up everyday now so grateful to see Bobby getting stronger."

Photo credit: Instagram/@msjillzarin

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